I suspect that one of the hens I got hold of this season was crest bred. IIt has no visual crestedness. I bought it from a crested breeder and it had a coloured band on it which obviously usually means that it is split for something. I paired it with a normal grey cock, no crested in its background to my knowledge.

 

I have got three chicks out of her. The third is a grey opaline and is about 3 weeks old. It has some funny looking bent feathers just above its cere and I strongly suspect that it will have some type of crest/tuft.

 

I have tried reading the genetics of it all but I really struggle with anything that isn't dominant, sex-linked or recessive ie goldenface,violet etc. It seems to me that from what I have read that it is possible to get a crest from a crest bred to normal pairing. Can someone confirm?

Edited December 21, 201113 yr by fordmob

Did a quick internet search and found that you can indeed breed a crest from that pairing..10% chance...

There is a 9% chance of it being a tuft... 1% chance of being a half circular and a 0.1% chance of it being a full circular...

Yes you can Dan,JE bred one last season,from

one of Rex's Crest Bred hens last season.

Thanks Twisted/Macka. I reckon it looks like a tufted as the bent feathers are fairly close to the cere. Either way it's destined for someone elses place. I don't want to start breeding them, the fallows and redeyes are enough for me.

Edited December 21, 201113 yr by fordmob